Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Along with the perennials I purchased on Saturday, I also picked up 3 new rose bushes for just $5 each. I love roses, only I have to keep them outside, so bushes work very well for me.

I already have established a peach, a yellow, and a red rose bush. Now, I've added 3 new red ones - 2 different varieties. I like that they come from a local greenhouse since then they should be able to stand the winters here in North Dakota. At $5 each it's worth trying.

I made these cards using the Manhatten Flower embossing folder from Stampin' Up! for the Big Shot. The red roses are embossed on Whisper White cardstock and then brayered with Melon Mambo ink. Two of these are brayered on the debossed side and one on the embossed side. The yellow roses are done on So Saffron with So Saffron ink lightly brayered on the embossed side.

I've been working on my flower beds. The local greenhouse had their annual "box" sale and I got carried away. Of course, I get carried away almost every year just like everyone else in the area!I mostly purchased perennials so that they'd have a good chance of coming up again next year and the year after, etc......... At $8 a box for whatever you can fit without stacking, it's a good deal.

So, yesterday I spent quite a bit of the day working on cleaning and planting in my flower beds.

I spent some time in the evening working on flower pot cards for the local flower shop. I've had some there in the last month and ALL of them have sold and they want more. I'm doing this as one of the projects at my next workshop.

I cut my flower pot base for the card 3 1/2" x 8 1/2". This way I can get 3 flower pots out of one piece of cardstock. The cardstock is scored at 1 1/2" and 5" then folded.

The white insert is cut 2 3/8" x 4 1/2" so it fits in the flower pot and gives enough space on top to add the flowers.

This is a pull out card, so you write on the pull out. I like to put 1 flower on the pot itself to make the flower pot seem full.

Here is the spot I got my directions and ideas from: Stephanie Luman - Flower Pot card . I close up the flower pot with dimensionals on the edges rather than tie the ribbon to close the card. But, it's up to you as to how you want to make yours. I did try one using eyelets to close the pot, but this isn't the best because it doesn't give the card enough "wiggle" room.

I used SU's Petal Pizzaz stamp set and also the Simple Floser embosslit die for the flowers.

Inks: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay, and Certainly Celery.The cardstock for the flower pots is Dusty Durango(You're gonnal love the new In Colors available July 1!)

Sunday, June 28, 2009

There was a baptism at church today so I made this card for the family. The cardbase is Soft Sky (from my stash) and the scallop circle background is Apricot Appeal.

The cross is from Stampabilities and is stamped in Versa Mark and embossed with gold embossing powder. The white background layer is punched with the eyelet border punch from Stampin' Up. I am really falling in love with that punch.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Yes, I'm showcasing another new set that's coming out from Stampin' Up! This set is called Autumn Days. The images are perfect for masculine cards.

These cards also show off some more of the new In Colors that Stampin' Up! is coming out with in July: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, and Dusty Durango.

You'll notice that there is a sympathy theme running in these cards. I'm using these to give to someone who has asked me to make some sympathy cards for her. I think these will work nicely for that purpose.

I used Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango for the wheat in this pheasant card. I stamped 2 or 3 times without reinking to add additional colors to the mix. It works quite nicely to make the image more full and look like a wheat field ready for harvest.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

I love to do the Wednesday Sketch Challenge on Splitcoaststamper. It always helps to stretch my creativity. Here's today's card:

This card uses the Music Expressions set from Stampin' Up paired with the Symphony jumbo wheel. The combination really makes for a beautiful card.

The background paper is from Stampin' Up as well and is called "To the Nines" and was used also the an extra layer behind the corners on the main image.

The main image was stamped with Stazon Jet Black and colored with Stampin' Up watercolor pencils and a blender pen. The edges were sponged with Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip inks. I then added Crystal Effects to the butterfly, bird and violin.

The background panel was also sponged with Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip ink.

Monday, June 8, 2009

I decided last week that I really need to pull together a stamp-a-stack in the month of June. So, yesterday I created 1 card for this event and today I created 4 more! Yep, a total of 5 new card designs all using Stampin' Up only products! Want to see them? You'll have to wait until after the event to see most of them, but one is in my post from yesterday.

Are you in my area and want to attend? Let me know and I'll send you more information.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

I started with my Soft Subtles ink and went from there to create the background for this card. The background panels overlap the card base just a little bit, but I know my envelope is big enough to handle the little overlap.

The main image uses Cheep Talk. The birds are stamped in Bashful Blue on the cardstock and then stamped again on scrap pieces in Pacific Point. These were then cut out and attached over the original stamped images and helps to create a sort of shadow affect.

A dear little 97 year old lady from one of my husband's churches passed away on Friday. This image from the Silent Night set is one of my favorites.

The church was stamped in Stazon Jet Black ink. I then took SU Markers and dotted the trees with Summer Sun and many different greens. Trees usually have many shades to there leaves.

The background was sponged using Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, Bordering Blue, and Night of Navy. The moon is created with a 1 1/4" punched piece from a sticky note. This was attached before any sponging was done to create the affect.

The church steeple is layered to add some depth and the evergreen trees are cut out and attached with dimensionals for added depth as well.

I hope you like what I've created today. I know that I'm pleased with them.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

A friend of mine and I have decided we'd start walking in the mornings, at least a couple days a week. We started this morning and when I got back, I put on the coffee pot. That cup of coffee sure sounded good after being in the fresh, cool morning air.

That's when this card idea hit me. I've had this House Mouse stamp for quite some time and it hasn't seen a lot of use. I pulled it out and made a couple of cards with it today. I hope you like them.

Supplies:Stamp: Java Jumpers - House Mouse Designs - StampabilitiesCard stock: Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate ChipStamped with SU Basic Black inkColored with SU markers - Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, Apricot Appeal, Mellow Moss, and a few Prisma Color markers for the mice.Sage card has sponging around the edges of the image using Sage ShadowCuttlebug Textile embossing folder was used for the front of the Sage Shadow card baseChocolate Chip Satin ribbon from SU was used on the 2nd cardSU Top Note Die Cut from Sizzix was used to cut out the images

Now that I've had my morning walk, my morning coffee, and my morning stamping fix, it's time for me to get going on some housework.

Monday, June 1, 2009

As some of you know, I am a Stampin' Up demonstrator. With that title I get a preview of things to come and Stampin' Up is getting ready to launch a new catalog on July 1st. This brings lots of fun new sets, new colors in inks and papers, new accessories. But, it also brings a list of stamp sets that will no longer be offered as well.

I'm sad to see a few of these sets go, but I know there are always new sets on the way. So many stamp sets........so little time (and money). If there are any of these sets that are on your MUST HAVE list, now is the time to put in an order.

Also, the current In Colors will no longer be available as of July 1st. If there is cardstock or ink that you are looking to keep on hand, now is the time to order that as well.

Psalm 40:3 (NIV)

About Me

My name is Karen and I live in a small town in North Dakota with my husband of 20+ years and 2 teenage children. I love to stamp and also love to cook. I hope you will enjoy following along with me thru my short looks into my crafting and small town life thru my eyes.